To provide uninterrupted electricity, the tariff should be increased! Minister Kanchana

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Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara has said that electricity tariff should be increased to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity.

According to Minister Kanchana Wijesekara, Sri Lanka Electricity Board estimates that to ensure uninterrupted power supply by 2023, the Electricity Board will have to spend Rs 56.90 per unit.

The minister added that based on the current tariff, an average charge per unit is Rs 29.14.

He said there would be a deficit of Rs 423.5 billion.

According to the billing data, 6,709,574 people are registered as consumers of Sri Lanka Electricity Board, the Minister of Electricity said.

Out of them, 1,460,828 consumers use less than 30 units per month and pay only Rs.8 per unit.

Also, 1,683,172 consumers use 30 to 60 units per month and currently they pay only Rs.10 per unit.

There are 1,702,515 consumers under Sri Lanka Electricity Board who use 60 to 90 units per month and they pay only Rs.16 per unit.

On an average, 1,559,131 consumers use 90 to 180 units per month and pay Rs 50 per unit, said Power and Energy Minister Kanjana Wijesekara.

CEB has around 303,928 consumers who use more than 180 units for which they pay Rs.75 per unit.

So while those in the upper strata pay above average price for electricity, the lower sections are subsidized more, the minister said.

Minister Kanjana Wijesekara has said that the remaining funds for subsidized power supply will be accepted by the treasury.

Therefore, according to his personal opinion, every electricity customer will pay per unit Rs. 56.90, while direct cash assistance should be given to low-income families, he said.

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